Automatic drain-cock for air-brakes.



F. W. ADAMS.

AUTOMATIC DRAIN 000K FOR AIR BRAKES.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.14. 1907.

W Lw/w/K WW?) I PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

[72 Iran/tar of condensation before FREDERICK W. ADAMS, OF SELMA, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC DRAIN-COCK FOR AIR-BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Application filed December 14, 1907. Serial No. 406,462.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Selma, in the county of Van Buren and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useupon the lowering of the air pressure inci.

dent to the stoppage of the air pump, as at the end of a run.

The object of my invention is to provide a very simple valve construction automatically operating and which is independent of the general construction of the air brake and is applicable to all forms of air pumps, main reservoirs, triple valves, auxiliary reservoirs, and brake cylinders now in use, the main obect being to prevent any failure to open the drain cocks to allow the drainage of water the mechanism is started.

My invention consists in the arrangement of parts and the details of construction set forth in the appended claims. An embodiment of my invention is shown 1n the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the drain cock.

Like numerals in the drawing designate like parts.

I design that the body of the drain cock shall be made of brass,.'though of course it may be made of any other suitable material. The body the middle art of the exterior of both sections being hexagonal or many-sided for the application of wrenches. The upper section has a circular chamber 1 formed at its lower end, this chamber containing the valve 3. Leading upward from the chamber 1 is the enlarged tubular extension 8 for the purpose of receiving the spindle 3 of valve 3 and at its upper end connecting the passage 8 with the passage 8".

Connecting with the tubular extension 8 is the passage 8 which leads upward through the upper end of the section 1. The Walls of this passage 8 on their exteriors are screwthreaded for connection with the steam end of the air pump; or any other portion of the apparatus Which is being drained. It is to be noted that the upper end of the spindle 3 lower face of valve 3.

is made in two sections, 1 and 2,

is rounded or otherwise formed so as to fit closely into the lower end'of the passage 8 where that passage connects with the extension 8 and to close the same.

Slightly below the flaring mouth of the assage 8 there is a lateral drainage outlet 8". hen the valve 3 is in its upward position, the spindle 3 closes the passage 8. WVhen, however, it is in its lowered position as shown in the drawing the passage 8, the upper part of the extension 8 and the drainage passage 8 are all connected.

The lower end of the section 1 is screwthreaded on its exterior for engagement by the upper end of the section 2. This section is larger than the section 1 and is recessed on its upper end to surround the periphery of the lower end of section 1 and to close the lower end of this section. The screw threads on the interior of the upper end of section 2 engage with the screw threads on the downwardly projecting Walls of section 1. There is an air-tight joint formed between the lower end of section 1 and the inner face of the recess of section 2. The section 2 is provided with a central longitudinal passage 7 WhlCh opens into a clearance space 7 below the The valve 3 fits sulficiently easily within the chamber 1f so that it may be moved up and down 1n said chamber but yet so closely that air in the passage 7 will not be forced out around the valve body. In order to prevent this I employ a packing ring 3 of brass or other suitable metal on the exterior of the valve body and contacting with the inner walls of the chamber 1. At its upper end the chamber 1 is provided with a small opening 9 to allow the escape and inlet of air in the upper portion of the chamber 1 as the valve moves. This opening 9 is for the purpose of allowing the escape of any steam which might come down around the spindle 3 of the valve 3.

The lower end of the section 2 is prolonged as at 2 to form a nipple which .is screwthreaded on its exterior for engagement with a union 10 which connects the small copper pipe 11 leading from the main drum or other source of air supply to the valve mechanism.

Referring particularly to the application of my valve as a drain cock for an air pump, it may be said that in the construction ordinarily used the drain cocks are operated by hand and that it is very common for the air pump on an engine to be started without opening these drain cocks. This is most injurious to the pump as it forces the water out around the packing, the exhaust, etc. and many failures of engines may be attributed to the failure of the engine hostler or other operator to open the drain cocks before starting the pump. This leads oftentimes to broken pistons, bent pistons, and renders the pump entirely inoperative. The object of my invention is to particularly remedythis evil and to provide a construction which is absolutely automatic in its action, so arranged that the pump may be started without the operator being obliged to open or close any drain valve himself but that upon cessation ofoperation the drain cocks or valves are automatically opened, thus draining pump cylinders. By placing an ordinary stop cock in the pipe 11 which supplies air pressure to the under side of valve 3, the draincock may be opened by hand when it would automatically remainshut. This is done by closing the stop cock, thereby cutting-off the supply of air to the under side of valve 3. The steam pressure on topof the spindle, 3 will then move the valve down, assuming a small leakage of air by valve 3. The stop cock should be left opento secure the automatic operation of the valve.

Assuming that this drain cock is to be applied to the drain pipes of air pumps used in air brakes for which it is specially designed, the action of the valve is as follows: Air pressure from the main reservoir on the engine enters the passage 7 through the pipe 11 and when there is none or very little steam pressure in the end of enlargement 8 or in passage 8, the air pressure below the valve will close the same, thus causing the spindle 3 toclose the connection between the passage 8 and the opening 8". As long as there is air pressure in the reservoir the valve will remain shut but when an engine comes in from a run andthe air pump is shut, the air pressure leaks away. The weight of valve 3 will now open it and this allows the condensed steam in the cylinder to escape through as? sages 8, 8 and 8". The valve 3 an its spindle 3 will remain open until there is enough air pressure accumulated in the main reservoir to close it again. .This air pressure in'the .main reservoir can only be accumulated by starting the pump. Hence it will be seen that before the valve can be closed the pump will have become Warm and probably twenty-five or thirty pounds of air ac-' cumulated in the reservoir. Previous to and during this time, of course, the valve is opened and the water of condensation is completely drained away. When sufiicient air pressure has been accumulated in the reservoir 'the valve is closed and will remain closed just so long as the pump is operated.

.Oneof the main advantages of my const'ruction lies in the fact that it is entirely independent of the peculiar construction of senses the reservoirs, cylinders, etc. and can be applied to any form of them.

The device is very simply made and is so constructedas to be easily taken apart for the removal of the valve or the insertion of a new valve.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In an automatic drain cook, a chambered body, a valve located within the chamber, a drainage inlet and outlet passage closable by said valve, and means for admitting pressure to one side of the valve to force it into a position to close the drainage inlet and outlet passages.

2. In an automatic drain cook, a chambered body, avalve located within the chamber, an enlarged tubular extension from the chamber, a valve spindle entering said enlarged portion, a drainage inlet passage lead-,

3. In an automatic drain cook, a chainbered body, a valve located within the chamber, an enlarged tubular extension from the chamber, a spindle on the valve entering, said enlarged portion, a drainage inlet passage leading to the end of the enlarged extension and closable by the end of the valve spindle,an outlet passage leading from said extension, and means for admitting pressure at one side of the valve to force it into position to close the inlet passage.

4. In an automatic drain cook, a chambered body, ,a valve located within the chamber, an enlarged tubular extension from the chamber, a spindle on the valve entering said extension, a drainage inlet passage lead ing to the end of the enlarged extension and 'closable by the end of the valve spindle, an

outlet passage leading from said extension, the lower portion of the valve casing being provided with an air inlet passage into the said chamber behind the valve.

5. In an automatic drain cook, a chambered bod formed in two. detachable sections, a va ve located within the chamber, an enlarged tubular extension from-the chamber, a spindle on the valve entering said extension, a drainage inlet and. outlet passage closable ,by said valve, and means for admitting pressure to one side of the valve to force it into position to close the drainage inlet and outlet passages.

6. An automatic drain cock having a body comprising a recessed lower section, the bottom of which is inwardly and downwardly inclined, and provided with an inlet passage longitudinally through its center opening at the bottom of the recessed portion, an upper section whose lower end is adapted to .be received within the recessed portion of the lower section and to engage .therewith, said lower end being provided with a chamber in its drainage inlet passage when the valve is ln-ad, -an ei'ilarged extension from said chamraised.

bur, ad'rainag'e inlet passage leading from the In testimony whereof, I have signed my extension to the upperend of the upper secname to this specification in the presence of lion, said upper section being also provided two subscribing Witnesses, this 25th day of 15 with an outlet passage leading from said ex- November, 1907. tension to the exterior of the Y alve body, and FREDERICK W. ADMIS.

a valve located in the chamber of the upper 4 section having a spindle entering the en lo larged extension and acting to close the Witnesses:

MARK T. HARLAN, ALLEN B. ADAMs. 

